Barilla cannot avoid a class-action suit for allegedly misleading advertising about the pasta’s origins, a federal judge ruled this week.
At issue is the brand’s slogan “The No. 1 Italian Pasta Brand”, which the lawsuit says can lead customers to believe it’s actually made in Italy.
Customers who filed the suit last year, Matthew Sinatro and Jessica Prost, said they bought several boxes of Barilla pasta thinking they were made in Italy.
They also said Barilla misrepresents its Italian origins because it uses the colors of the Italian flag, “further perpetuating the notion that the products are authentic pasta from Italy.”
They also say this with Barilla’s advertising campaign because it positions it “as authentic, genuine Italian pasta – made with ingredients of Italian origin (like durum wheat) and made in Italy” when it isn’t.
However, as stated on Barilla’s website, it is not. The dough is made in Iowa and New York, using the same machines used at its factory in Parma, Italy. Barilla was founded in 1877 in the small Italian town and grew as an “international group present in more than 100 countries”.
The judge this week ruled that the pair suffered “economic damage” and presented sufficient evidence that they would not have purchased Barilla if they had known it was not made in Italy. A box of Barilla can cost twice as much as a private label.
Barilla did not immediately return the request for comment from the CNN Business .
Source: CNN Brasil
Joe Jameson, a technology journalist with over 2 years of experience, writes for top online news websites. Specializing in the field of technology, Joe provides insights into the latest advancements in the industry. Currently, he contributes to covering the world stock market.
